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describing a monkey's inside when he had pretended to be describing a
man's； and thus； by impudence and quackery； he has wormed himselfthis
Netherlander； a heretic at heart； as all Netherlanders are； to God as well as
to Galeninto the confidence of the late Emperor Charles V。； and gone
campaigning with him as one of his physicians； anatomising human bodies
even on the battle…field； and defacing the likeness of Deity； and worse than
that； the most religious King Philip is deceived by him likewise； and keeps
him in Madrid in wealth and honour； and now； in the prince's extreme
danger； the king has actually sent for him； and bidden him try his skilla
man who knows nothing save about bones and muscles and the outside of
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the body； and is unworthy the name of a true physician。
One can conceive the rage of the old Spanish pedants at the
Netherlander's appearance； and still more at what followed； if we are to
believe Hugo Bloet of Delft； his countryman and contemporary。 ｛10｝
Vesalius； he says； saw that the surgeons had bound up the wound so tight
that an abscess had formed outside the skull； which could not break： he
asserted that the only hope lay in opening it； and did so； Philip having
given leave； 〃by two cross…cuts。 Then the lad returned to himself； as if
awakened from a profound sleep； affirming that he owed his restoration to
life to the German doctor。〃
Dionysius Daza； who was there with the other physicians and surgeons；
tells a different story： 〃The most learned； famous； and rare Baron
Vesalius；〃 he says； advised that the skull should be trepanned； but his
advice was not followed。
Olivarez's account agrees with that of Daza。 They had opened the
wounds； he says； down to the skull before Vesalius came。 Vesalius
insisted that the injury lay inside the skull； and wished to pierce it。
Olivarez spends much labour in proving that Vesalius had 〃no great
foundation for his opinion：〃 but confesses that he never changed that
opinion to the last； though all the Spanish doctors were against him。
Then on the 6th； he says； the Bachelor Torres came from Madrid； and
advised that the skull should be laid bare once more； and on the 7th； there
being still doubt whether the skull was not injured； the operation was
performedby whom it is not saidbut without any good result； or；
according to Olivarez； any discovery； save that Vesalius was wrong； and
the skull uninjured。
Whether this second operation of the 7th of May was performed by
Vesalius； and whether it was that of which Bloet speaks； is an open
question。 Olivarez's whole relation is apologetic； written to justify
himself and his seven Spanish colleagues； and to prove Vesalius in the
wrong。 Public opinion； he confesses； had been very fierce against him。
The credit of Spanish medicine was at stake： and we are not bound to
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believe implicitly a paper drawn up under such circumstances for Philip's
eye。 This； at least； we gather： that Don Carlos was never trepanned； as is
monly said； and this； also； that whichever of the two stories is true；
equally puts Vesalius into direct； and most unpleasant； antagonism to the
Spanish doctors。 ｛11｝
But Don Carlos still lay senseless； and yielding to popular clamour； the
doctors called in the aid of a certain Moorish doctor； from Valencia； named
Priotarete； whose unguents； it was reported； had achieved many
miraculous cures。 The unguent； however； to the horror of the doctors；
burned the skull till the bone was as black as the colour of ink； and
Olivarez declares he believes it to have been a preparation of pure caustic。
On the morning of the 9th of May； the Moor and his unguents were sent
away； 〃and went to Madrid； to send to heaven Hernando de Vega； while
the prince went back to our method of cure。〃
Considering what happened on the morning of the 10th of May； we
should now presume that the second opening of the abscess； whether by
Vesalius or someone else； relieved the pressure on the brain； that a critical
period of exhaustion followed； probably prolonged by the Moor's
premature caustic； which stopped the suppuration： but that God's good
handiwork； called nature； triumphed at last； and that therefore it came to
pass that the prince was out of danger within three days of the operation。
But he was taught； it seems； to attribute his recovery to a very different
source from that of a German knife。 For on the morning of the 9th； when
the Moor was gone； and Don Carlos lay seemingly lifeless； there
descended into his chamber a Deus e machina； or rather a whole pantheon
of greater or lesser deities； who were to effect that which medical skill
seemed not to have effected。 Philip sent into the prince's chamber
several of the precious relics which he usually carried about with him。
The miraculous image of the Virgin of Atocha； in embroidering garments
for whom； Spanish royalty； male and female； has spent so many an hour
ere now； was brought in solemn procession and placed on an altar at the
foot of the prince's bed； and in the afternoon there entered； with a
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procession likewise； a shrine containing the bones of a holy anchorite； one
Fray Diego； 〃whose life and miracles；〃 says Olivarez； 〃are so notorious：〃
and the bones of St。 Justus and St。 Pastor； the tutelar saints of the
university of Alcala。 Amid solemn litanies the relics of Fray Diego were
laid upon the prince's pillow； and the sudarium； or mortuary cloth； which
had covered his face； was placed upon the prince's forehead。
Modern science might object that the presence of so many personages；
however pious or well intentioned； in a sick chamber on a hot Spanish
May day； especially as the bath had been； for some generations past； held
in religious horror throughout Spain； as a sign of Moorish and Mussulman
tendencies； might have somewhat interfered with the chances of the poor
boy's recovery。 Nevertheless the event seems to have satisfied Philip's
highest hopes； for that same night （so Don Carlos afterwards related） the
holy monk Diego appeared to him in a vision； wearing the habit of St。
Francis； and bearing in his hand a cross of reeds tied with a green band。
The prince stated that he first took the apparition to be that of the blessed
St。 Francis； but not seeing the stigmata； he exclaimed； 〃How？ Dost thou
not bear the marks of the wounds？〃 What he replied Don Carlos did not
recollect； save that he consoled him； and told him that he should not die of
that malady。
Philip had returned to Madrid； and shut himself up in grief in the great
Jeronymite monastery。 Elizabeth was praying for her step…son before the
miraculous images of the same city。 During the night of the 9th of May
prayers went up for Don Carlos in all the churches of Toledo； Alcala； and
Madrid。 Alva stood all that night at the bed's foot。 Don Garcia de
Toledo sat in the arm…chair； where he had now sat night and day for more
than a fortnight。 The good preceptor； Honorato Juan； afterwards Bishop
of Osma； wrestled in prayer for the lad the whole night through。 His
prayer was answered： probably it had been answered already； without
his being aware of it。 Be that as it may； about dawn Don Carlos's heavy
breathing ceased； he fell into a quiet sleep； and when he awoke all
perceived at once that he was saved。
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He did not recover his sight； seemingly on account of the erysipelas；
for a week more。 He then opened his eyes upon the miraculous image of
Atocha； and vowed that； if he recovered； he would give to the Virgin； at
four different shrines in Spain； gold plate of four times his weight； and
silver plate of seven times his weight； when he should rise from his couch。
So on the 6th of June he rose； and was weighed in a fur coat and a robe of
damask； and his weight was three arrobas and one poundseventy…six
pounds in all。 On the 14th of June he went to visit his father at the
episcopal palace； then to all the churches and shrines in Alcala； and of
course to that of Fray Diego； whose body it is said he contemplated for
some time with edifying devotion。 The next year saw Fray Diego
canonised as a saint； at the intercession of Philip and his son； and thus Don
Carlos re…entered the world； to be a terror and a torment to all around him；
and to dienot by Philip's cruelty； as his enemies reported too hastily
indeed； yet excusably； for they knew him to be capable of any wickedness…
…but simply of constitutional insanity。
And now let us go back to the history of 〃that most learned； famous；
and rare Baron Vesalius；〃 who had stood by and seen all these things done；
and try if we cannot； after we have learned the history of his early life；
guess at some of his probable meditations on this celebrated clinical case；
and guess also how those meditations may have affected seriously the
events of his afterlife。
Vesalius （as I said） was a Netherlander； born at Brussels in 1513 or
1514。 His father and grandfather had been medical men of the highest
standing in a profession which then； as now； was monly hereditary。
His real name was Wittag； an ancient family of Wesel； on the Rhine； from
which town either he or his father adopted the name of Vesalius； according
to the classicising fashion of those days。 Young Vesalius was sent to
college at Louvain； where he learned rapidly。 At sixteen or seventeen he
knew not only Latin； but Greek enough to correct the proofs of Galen； and
Arabic enough to bee acquainted with the works of the Mussulman
physicians。 He was a physicist too； and a mathematician； according to
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the knowledge of those times；